Deer Pond is the finest destination point and you may find that to be enough, don’t feel that the entire loop is the only way to go. 

Start your hike along an old woods road through an attractive Adirondack forest. The trail remains very flat for most of the route back to Deer Pond. Aside from some occasional rolling hills, you can enjoy an easy hike or ski for quite a while. As you near the pond a short climb will bring you to a shoulder of a small knoll before coming to a trail intersection with Lead Pond. For the best view of Deer Pond, follow the Lead Pond Trail for a bit to a rocky overlook. Finishing off the loop is also an option. The loop will only add on a few extra miles opposed to just returning the way you came. The remaining part of the loop has a bit more elevation change. The end of the trail is along an old section of road which is again wide and flat. 

Trailhead Location: 

From the intersection of Route 30 and Route 3 in Tupper Lake follow Route 3/30 toward Saranac Lake. Continue for just over 5-miles to the trailhead on the left. 

Distance Round Trip:

7.3 Miles

Elevation Gain or Loss: 

200 feet to the height-of-land

Time Round Trip:  

Family with Young Kids:     4 to 5 hours

Experienced Hiker:         3 to 4 hours

Out of Shape Hiker:     4 to 5 hours

Cross- Country Skiing

This is a fantastic ski for beginners looking to venture out of ski centers and into the forest! A wide and flat trail makes this an ideal and enjoyable ski.

The loop is a great way to spend the day, but Deer Pond is the finest destination point and the entire loop is not the only way to go.

Start you ski by kicking and gliding along an old woods road with a wide track through an attractive Adirondack forest. The trail remains very flat for most of the route back to Deer Pond. Aside from some occasional rolling hills along some hillsides this is a mellow ski for quite a while.

The trail ascends the shoulder of a small knob before dropping steadily, but not too fast, to a trail intersection with Lead Pond. For the best view of Deer Pond, follow the Lead Pond Trail for a bit. The trail will drop down steeply and cross over a small draw to a rock outcropping at the edge of the pond. There is a steep drop here, and some may choose not to ski it.  

The rest of the loop adds on a few extra miles opposed to just returning the way you came. The remaining part of the loop is a bit harder than the beginning section, at least for a while past Deer Pond. There a few climbs, but more importantly there are a few steep descents off those smaller hills. The end of the trail is along an old section of road which is wide and flat.

Elevation gain: 200 feet to the highest point

Distance: 7.3 mile loop

Trailhead: From the intersection of Route 30 and Route 3 in Tupper Lake follow Route 3/30 toward Saranac Lake. Continue for just over 5-miles to the trailhead on the left.  

While the loop is a great option for your day, Deer Pond is the finest destination point and you may find that to be enough, don’t feel that the entire loop is the only way to go.

Start you ski by kicking and gliding along an old woods road with a wide track through an attractive Adirondack forest. The trail remains very flat for most of the route back to Deer Pond. Aside from some occasional rolling hills along some hillsides you can enjoy a mellow ski for quite a while. As you near the pond a short climb will bring you to a shoulder of a small knoll before dropping you steadily, but not too fast to a trail intersection with Lead Pond. For the best view of Deer Pond, follow the Lead Pond Trail for a bit. The trail will drop down steeply and cross over a small draw to a rock outcropping at the edge of the pond, you may choose not to ski this steep drop.  

Finishing off the loop is also an option, but a good one. The loop will only add on a few extra miles opposed to just returning the way you came. The remaining part of the loop is a bit harder than the beginning, at least for a while past Deer Pond. There a few climbs but more importantly there are a few steep descents off those smaller hills. The end of the trail is along an old section of road which is again wide and flat.

Elevation Gain/Loss to Destination:

200 feet to the highest point

Approximate Time, Round Trip:

Family with Kids:                        Not recommended due to length unless experienced

Experienced Skier:                        3 to 4 hours, Loop

Out of Shape/Beginner Skier:            3.5 to 5 hours, Loop

Distance Round Trip:

7.3 miles, Loop

Trailhead Location:

From the intersection of Route 30 and Route 3 in Tupper Lake follow Route 3/30 toward Saranac Lake. Continue for just over 5-miles to the trailhead on the left.

Difficulty: 1=beginner, 5=advanced

Three: Mainly due to distance, but overall there are only a couple steep short hills along narrow trails.

Additional Important Information:

There is a spur trail over to Lead Pond from Deer Pond. This will add over 4-miles to your days total, and it gets very little winter use. But it is an option if you want to extend you day.